flame resistant
by lostintheconstallations
Summary: after weeks of being plagued with insomnia and worry, Anastasia takes it upon herself (and Chiron's suggestions) to go find the infamous seven from the prophecy. when she finds them, she doesn't know what she is signing herself up for. will she be able to handle the stress of daily combat? Will she crack under the pressure?
1. the smell of smoke and cheap cologne

_A_

nastasia held out her hands, petals of light pink and white raining down from the cherry blossom tree that stood only a few feet to her left, a smile graced her mouth- a euphoric feeling spreading throughout her chest.

Rome was nothing like she had ever imagined, the statutes of the Roman gods glaring upon her in accusation of the events the past week had held.

She'd left camp half blood in search of the seven, and the last she had heard from Leo was that they were in Rome.Not that she didn't trust they were carrying out their mission, but she worried that they might become unable to keep going. Being a child of Apollo, she was a natural healer. Meaning that she could heal a wound faster than Nectar and Ambrosia could.

Making her way towards the nearest ruins, she stopped a familiar horse- Arion- Hazel's Pegasus. The brown haired girl bolted towards him, her chest swelling with hope.

"Arion," She sighed in relief, patting his mane "Where's Hazel? Do you know where she went?"

Arion bucked his head behind her and she quickly turned to find the mixed girl standing behind her.

"Ana!" Hazel exclaimed, throwing her arms around her. "What are you doing here? Is everything okay? Leo hasn't been able to shut up about you! He's been trying so hard to get an iris message out, I think he's going to have a stroke! Wait, but you're here now, wait, whyre you here again?" She rushed, finally coming to her concluding question.

Anastasia laughed, putting her hand on hazels shoulder, "Chiron thought I was worrying too much and sent me after you guys. He told me you all might need a healer after all."

after a few seconds Hazel nodded, about to say something when she got cut off.

"Hey Hazel-" the voice stopped, Anastasia knew than voice from anywhere- It was Leo. Before she knew what was happening she was engulfed in a warm embrace. she hugged him back, inhaling his scent of musk and charcoal.

Leo held her closer to him, he didn't know why she was here but more or less he didn't care.

He hesitantly pulled away from her, his hands resting on her hips.

"Ana, what on earth are you doing here?" He asked, looking down at the girl for an answer.

She laughed, "what are you not happy to see me? Jeez, I feel the love" her words came out in a teasing tone, leaving the boy lightly smirking.

"Of course i'm happy you're here! But, it's not safe-" he began, only to be cut off by Anastasia.

"Chiron sent me. He thought you might need a healer, just in case, you know?" She chided, wringing her hands nervously. "He wouldn't send me if he didn't think I was strong enough, have a little faith in me, Leo."

He nodded "of course, I just don't want something to happen to you out here. That's why I didn't want you to come originally." Leo explained, hands moving to clasp hers.

Anastasia pulled him into another hug, "even when you're the one going out into danger- you worry about me." She gave a tiny laugh, relishing this moment with him. "My hero"

Leo couldn't bring himself to say anything, he missed this. He missed her. He missed the nights before he left when she snuck out to meet him at bunker nine, the heartfelt moments they shared while working on Festus. The mornings that he'd wake up on the couch with Anastasia in his arms. He remembered all the time they spent together- all of the late nights, early mornings, and coping they did together.

If Leo had circuits and wires, they would have all short circuited in that moment.


	2. a little sunlight

A few days had passed since Anastasia had joined the crew of the Argo ll and things couldn't have been worse. endless sea attacks had caused them to have to fly- and that made Hazel even more sick than before. The demi-gods were struggling. Apollo sent harsh sun rays down on them- not very happy with one of his beloved daughters on the quest. Everyone on board was sunburnt and in pain. Anastasia had been working trying to getting things to let up with her father but he wouldn't budge, so her daily chore was following the crew members around and keeping the sunburn at bay as they worked (mapping, planning, fighting off the occasional venti)

Night had fallen on the shores of Greece, their new base for the moment. Leo was awake, just like every other night. He shuffled out of his room and down to the boiler room- where he stayed when be couldn't sleep. Something about the mechanical hum knocked him out faster than an lullaby could.

As he walked past Anastasia's room, he heard her let out an airy sob. In that moment he felt his heart break- so slowly he twisted the door knob and poked his head in through the crack.

"Ana?" He said, only above a whisper, his face ridden with sadness.

Anastasia looked up, wiping her tears away and putting on a smile. "Hey, Leo."

He opened the door wider and made his way in, slowly shutting it and walking over to her bed. "Hey you, what's wrong?" He asked, sitting at the end of her bed, causing her to draw up her legs.

"I just-" She began "I was thinking about how I don't have parents to go back to when camp dismisses at the end of this summer." She confessed, new tears forcing their way from her milky blue orbs. "I'm alone in this world, I can't go back to Olympus. What do I do, Leo?"

Leo took her hand in his, he sighed in content as he felt the cool smooth contrast of hers against his rough, callused hand.

"It's going to be okay, I don't have anyone else either. We can get through this- together, okay?

Remember, even through Hades- I'm with you."

with two days left before gaea awoke, the pressure was on. after getting the chained gods heartbeat, and finally succeeding in getting the physicians cure- it was now to face what was in front of them now... which just happened to be a few hundred giants.

The princess Periboa held Annabeth by the neck like a feral cat. The giant Enceladus had Percy wrapped in his massive fist, awaiting the perfect moment to spill his blood and wake gaea.

Chaos.

The fighting began.

Anastasia went to free Annabeth, Unfortunately the giantess seemed to anticipate her plan.

"I think not, demigod!" Periboa yelled. "This one bleeds!"

The giantess raised her knife and it took everything for Anastasia to scream "MISS!" taunting the princess, at the same time Annabeth kicked up with her legs to make herself a smaller target.

Periboa's knife passed beneath Annabeth's legs and stabbed the giantess' own palm.

The monster screamed in agony and dropped Annabeth- alive, but not unscathed.

The dagger had sliced a nasty gash across the back of her thigh. As Annabeth rolled away, her blood soaked into the earth.

'the blood of olympus' Anastasia thought with dread. She couldn't do anything about that now, she had to help Annabeth.

It went by like flashes- stab, duck, dodge, stab, duck, dodge. As a dazed Percy and Anastasia faced Porphyrion, he rose from his throne.

"These demi-gods can't kill us! They do not have the help of the gods. Remember who you are!" The giants closed in. A dozen spears were pointed at Anastasia's chest.

unscathed.

The dagger had sliced a nasty gash across the back of her thigh. As Annabeth rolled away, her blood soaked into the earth.

'the blood of olympus' Anastasia thought with dread. She couldn't do anything about that now, she had to help Annabeth.

It went by like flashes- stab, duck, dodge, stab, duck, dodge. As a dazed Percy and Anastasia faced Porphyrion, he rose from his throne.

"These demi-gods can't kill us! They do not have the help of the gods. Remember who you are!" The giants closed in. A dozen spears were pointed at Anastasia's chest.

Percy, obviously dazed, couldn't defend himself. So Anastasia started screaming at the giants. "Come on then! I'll destroy you all myself if I have to!"

A metallic smell of storm filled the air. All the hairs on Anastasia's arms stood up.

"The thing is," said a voice from above, "you don't have to."

Anastasia's heart could've floated out of her body. At the top of the nearest colonnade stood Jason, his sword gleaming gold in the sun. Frank stood at his side, his bow ready. Hazel sat astride Arion, who reared and whinnied in challenge.

Percy, obviously dazed, couldn't defend himself. So Anastasia started screaming at the giants. "Come on then! I'll destroy you all myself if I have to!"

A metallic smell of storm filled the air. All the hairs on Anastasia's arms stood up.

"The thing is," said a voice from above, "you don't have to."

Anastasia's heart could've floated out of her body. At the top of the nearest colonnade stood Jason, his sword gleaming goldThe giants closed in. A dozen spears were pointed at Anastasia's chest.

Percy, obviously dazed, couldn't defend himself. So Anastasia started screaming at the giants. "Come on then! I'll destroy you all myself if I have to!"

A metallic smell of storm filled the air. All the hairs on Anastasia's arms stood up.

"The thing is," said a voice from above, "you don't have to."

Anastasia's heart could've floated out of her body. At the top of the nearest colonnade stood Jason, his sword gleaming gold in the sun. Frank stood at his side, his bow ready. Hazel sat astride Arion, who reared and whinnied in challenge.

Percy, obviously dazed, couldn't defend himself. So Anastasia started screaming at the giants. "Come on then! I'll destroy you all myself if I have to!"

A metallic smell of storm filled the air. All the hairs on Anastasia's arms stood up.

"The thing is," said a voice from above, "you don't have to."

Anastasia's heart could've floated out of her body. At the top of the nearest colonnade stood Jason, his sword gleaming gold in the sun. Frank stood at his side, his bow ready. Hazel sat astride Arion, who reared and whinnied in challenge.


End file.
